Experience with the VAC program at Einstein

[Anonymous]

My son got into the VAC and while he's super into art/drawing/media, he is scared to leave his friend group who is mostly going to Blair (CAP and Regular)
If you have a chid in the VAC or one who has gone through it, can you share how it was? The program seems great, I just know nothing about the school otherwise and how it compares to Blair for the regular classes
He also has the option to go to BCC (one parent lives in that district) so we are having a hard time choosing.
Feeling grateful to have choices in general, just want to make the right one. Appreciate any info you have!

[Anonymous]

It's a pretty small program so maybe that accounts for the lack of responses here. I'm sorry I don't have any personal experience with the program to share beyond my appreciation of the level of talent displayed by kids in the VAC, but maybe someone at the school or one of the teachers in the VAC program can connect you with someone who could say more about the program specifically. In general, those with kids actually at Einstein on this board seem to have very positive things to say while those with no personal experience seem to think very poorly of it.

[Anonymous]

Thats helpful thank you! I wish we could visit in person but with Covid they won't allow. The teachers do seem great and we spoke to one past student who had a great experience. I think we'll go for it!

[Anonymous]

My DD went through VAC and it really is a great program, phenomenal teachers, close cohort of kids!

[Anonymous]

DC chose VAC over Blair magnets and has not regretted it for a moment. The double-period art class allows kids to really get engaged in their projects. Einstein has plenty of challenging classes and a great community feel - something I'm told can be lacking at Blair. The program is so small that given the shared love of art, it's hard to imagine not developing a tight friend group.

[Anonymous]

awesome! thanks for the insight!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My son got into the VAC and while he's super into art/drawing/media, he is scared to leave his friend group who is mostly going to Blair (CAP and Regular)
If you have a chid in the VAC or one who has gone through it, can you share how it was? The program seems great, I just know nothing about the school otherwise and how it compares to Blair for the regular classes
He also has the option to go to BCC (one parent lives in that district) so we are having a hard time choosing.
Feeling grateful to have choices in general, just want to make the right one. Appreciate any info you have!

Einstein is smaller than Blair. Is a tighter knit community and more school spirit. It is better for foreign language than Blair. Has an IB program if that is of interest to your son (I'd ask if you can do IB and VAC just to make sure). I would look at the course bulletins with your son to compare the two schools. The three kids I know in VAC want to do something art-related for a career. It was designed to be a "pre-professional" program.

[Anonymous]

Our child would die to get into VAC but the portfolio just isn't there. Congrats OP! What an honor. I'd advice your child to do that program in a heartbeat. If your child changes his mind both Blair and BCC are great options. I don't think you can go wrong with any of those three choices. Good luck to your child OP!

[Anonymous]

Does anyone have experience with doing full day at Einstein vs VAC + assigned local school?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Does anyone have experience with doing full day at Einstein vs VAC + assigned local school?

I don't understand how VAC and assigned school works. Don't they miss a period in the transition? So then they have 2 periods of VAC, and only 4 other periods? How do they get all their assigned classes in?

I am just being nosy, we're a potential VAC parent (not this year) but our homeschool is Einstein so this is not a question that really impacts us.

[Anonymous]

Some kids travel during lunch to VAC at Einstein for periods 6 and 7.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My son got into the VAC and while he's super into art/drawing/media, he is scared to leave his friend group who is mostly going to Blair (CAP and Regular)
If you have a chid in the VAC or one who has gone through it, can you share how it was? The program seems great, I just know nothing about the school otherwise and how it compares to Blair for the regular classes
He also has the option to go to BCC (one parent lives in that district) so we are having a hard time choosing.
Feeling grateful to have choices in general, just want to make the right one. Appreciate any info you have!

My son was apart of VAC and now does work for (Disney) Marvel Entertainment. He often looks back at his time at Einstein as the “best 4 years of his life”. The school is open minded and very school spirited. He wanted to go to arts school since he was in middle school. If it wasn’t for VAC, we wouldn’t have never been able to afford to send him off to art school. Due to his advance portfolio, my son was offer almost full rides to some of the top arts institutions.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My son got into the VAC and while he's super into art/drawing/media, he is scared to leave his friend group who is mostly going to Blair (CAP and Regular)
If you have a chid in the VAC or one who has gone through it, can you share how it was? The program seems great, I just know nothing about the school otherwise and how it compares to Blair for the regular classes
He also has the option to go to BCC (one parent lives in that district) so we are having a hard time choosing.
Feeling grateful to have choices in general, just want to make the right one. Appreciate any info you have!

Einstein is smaller than Blair. Is a tighter knit community and more school spirit. It is better for foreign language than Blair. Has an IB program if that is of interest to your son (I'd ask if you can do IB and VAC just to make sure). I would look at the course bulletins with your son to compare the two schools. The three kids I know in VAC want to do something art-related for a career. It was designed to be a "pre-professional" program.

It’s theoretically possible to do both VAC and IB, but depending on the year, scheduling can be extremely difficult because there are fewer sections of those courses. There are some kids who have had to do the Theory of Knowledge course as basically an independent study because other required courses conflict, and they’d need to knock out certain graduation requirements like Health over the summer. That said, kids can take pre-IB or IB courses without being on the diploma track.

But I agree with the other posters that the feel of Einstein is fairly warm and welcoming, while still making room for kids with all sorts of interests.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:DC chose VAC over Blair magnets and has not regretted it for a moment. The double-period art class allows kids to really get engaged in their projects. Einstein has plenty of challenging classes and a great community feel - something I'm told can be lacking at Blair. The program is so small that given the shared love of art, it's hard to imagine not developing a tight friend group.

I do not have a child in VAC but I do have a child at Einstein and one at Blair. The community at Einstein is great but Blair is great too. Blair is incredibly well-run, communication is superior, college counseling is better, etc.